Meets with Judaic Studies (JUDAIC 253) and Classics (CLCIV 253)

The Mediterranean is a region of tremendous diversity and vibrancy, with a long and checkered history of travel, trade, tourism, intellectual exchange, and even piracy. This course explores the art of the Mediterranean, focusing on the sites of Constantinople, Sicily, Egypt and the Holy Land. We shall study a range of artifacts such as manuscripts, maps, coins, textiles, and luxury goods, each of which took shape as a result of the vibrant cross-cultural encounters that animated the region. A key theme of the course is movement and how it facilitated the exchange of ideas, images, models, materials, and artisans within and beyond the Mediterranean. We will look at objects and read a variety of sources to understand the fluidity of the connections enabled by the Mediterranean both as a geographical expanse and an imaginative construct.

Textbooks/Other Materials: No cost for materials. All course readings and materials are available as PDFs uploaded to Canvas.

Course Requirements: Assignments, midterm, and final exams

HISTART Concentration Distributions: Middle East, Europe, Medieval, Early Modern